SPECIAL: MAISON GUERLAIN – PARIS

Hi Buddies,

As I told you, I finished my Euro trip with a tour at The Maison Guerlain, in Paris. What an incredible place! I already knew the brand, but had no idea of the lovely story behind it. I am really amazed!

The historical building at Champs-Élysées is protected by the French government. The brand has been in the place since 1939 and has maintained its original architecture all this time. Not only that, Guerlain’s founder, Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain, at the time they moved in has called famous artists to paint and decorate the place. Even though the building is going through a renovation, the designers working in the project nowadays are doing a great job keeping its original atmosphere.

Now let’s talk about the highlights of the tour…. For those who don’t know the brand yet, Guerlain is not only about fragrances. Of course they have some of the bestselling perfumes in the world, but the brand also carries great skincare and makeup products. In fact, Guerlain was the first brand in the world to have a bronzing powder. They launched the amazing Terracota in 1984 and it’s still sold nowadays. It made such a huge success that in 1987 they had a special edition for men – maybe one of the first makeups ever made for men in the world. I have it and I love it, but I found out at the tour that the brand is discontinuing it. #sad They believe that other products, such as Four Seasons, will do better with men since it’s a bit less shimmering. What do you think?

During the tour I also got to know the story behind the famous Bee Bottle, which holds some of the brand’s well-known fragrances. It was designed in 1853 to hold a new fragrance specially created for Empress Eugénie to wear at her wedding day with Napoleon III – the Eau de Cologne Imperiale. Pascal Guerlain got the inspiration for the bottle from the shape of the Column Vendôme and hand-painted it with golden bees.

The bees where a symbol of the court. Since the wedding event represented a turning point for Guerlain’s history, that soon became famous all over Europe, the bee was also adopted as one the brand’s symbols – with Napoleon’s approval, of course. Both the bottle and the Eau de Cologne Imperiale are still sold nowadays with the same formula and the same fabrication method.

The Maison Guerlain at Champs-Élysées is not only the address for a great boutique of the brand and part of their office, but also a spa where you can have some exclusive treatments for the face and body. The place is very luxurious, all of the cabins are decorated with onix stones brought from Italy. It is the perfect place to relax.

This was one of the most incredible days I had in Paris. If you’re ever in town, don’t forget to make a visit – or, even better, an appointment at the spa. The address is very easy to find and I am sure that it will be on your route: 68 Champs-Élysées. It’s probably unnecessary to say that the smell of this place is amazing, right!?

OMG, I miss it already!!

The iconic Maison Guerlain 68 Champs-Elysées

The Bee Bottle… Fantastic!

The entrance to Guerlain’s spa in Paris: the building is being redecorated but they kept details from the original design, from 1914

The decoration by legendary Christian Bérard give access to the spa rooms

Some of the pieces kept from the house’s original design

Details

One of the consultation rooms: all of them have granites brought from Italy on the walls